BRETT HOFFMAN: Brazile taking aim at ninth all-around title

Trevor Brazile is in the driver's seat to clinch a record ninth world all-around title.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's regular season regular season concluded Sept. 30 and the top 15 in each event advance to the National Finals, which is scheduled for Dec. 1-10 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Brazile, who lives in Decatur, made the cut in tie-down roping and team roping. He also qualified for the National Finals Steer Roping, which is scheduled for Nov. 11-12 at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla.

In the all-around standings, Brazile finished the regular season with $239,505, more than doubling No. 2-ranked Shane Proctor ($119,044).

Brazile's big advantage is that he has qualified for the nationals in three roping events and Proctor has qualified only in bull riding.

Texas Tech abounds

Texas Tech's women's rodeo team has a commanding lead in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Southwest Region title race after finishing No. 1 in the first two rodeos of the regular season.

Last weekend, the Lady Raiders clinched the team title at the Sul Ross Rodeo after earning 390 points. Vernon College came in second with 260.

Texas Tech also won the team title at the Sept. 22-24 Eastern New Mexico Rodeo.

In the Southwest Region standings, Texas Tech is No. 1 with 835 points. Vernon is second with 330.

In the men's team standings, Tarleton State has a huge early season lead after winning the first two rodeos of the season. TSU is No. 1 with 930 and Odessa College is No. 2 with 450.

The Sul Ross Rodeo was the second of 10 NIRA Southwest Region shows that are scheduled for the 2011-012 regular season. This weekend, Southwest Region riders will compete in the Vernon College Rodeo.

Recognizing greatness

Clayton Foltyn, an El Campo cowboy who won the 2011 Championship Bull Riding title, was honored at the weekly Stockyards Championship Rodeo during ceremony Friday night at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth.

Foltyn won the title on Sept. 25 at the CBR Finals in Loveland, Colo. Foltyn finished No. 1 in the 2011 title race with 6,709.5 points, more than 1,400 points ahead of No. 2-ranked Chase Outlaw.

PBR update

Brazilian cowboy Douglas Ferreira, who lives in Decatur when he competes in North America, earned $37,015 after winning the Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series tour stop last weekend in Charlotte, N.C. Ferreira clinched the title after turning in score of 259.75, five points ahead of second-place finisher Harve Stewart who earned $18,415.

Silvano Alves, another Brazilian who resides in Decatur, leads the PBR Built Ford Tough Series world title race after tying for eighth at the Charlotte tour stop. In the world standings, Alves is ranked No. 1 with 11,869.50 points. Valdiron de Oliveira is No. 2 with 10,438.

This weekend, the tour stops in Hartford, Conn. The PBR World Finals is scheduled for Oct. 26-30 in Las Vegas.

Brett Hoffman, a Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame member, has written a rodeo column for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram during the past two decades. Email him at brett@myrodeoinsider.com.